Ferrer falls to Russian after bug takes toll

ANDREY KUZNETSOV caused the biggest upset of this Wimbledon so far by beating David Ferrer, the stubborn Spaniard and No 7 seed. The 23-year-old Russian, a former junior Wimbledon champion, won 6-7 (5), 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Court Two, giving him his first win in a five-set match over a top-10 player. Kuznetsov, who beat Britain’s Dan Evans in the first round, won the second set in just 23 minutes and took the final game of the match to love, ending Ferrer’s record of having progressed to the third round in his 17 previous Grand Slam appearances. Ferrer’s departure means there can be no repeat of Andy Murray’s tricky 2012 quarter-final against him. Kuznetsov (below) is ranked No 118 in the world, having struggled to make the transition to the senior ranks but yesterday showed great composure. ‘It’s the biggest win of my career — a very, very, very big victory against a top-10 player — the first time in my life.’ He now plays Leonardo Mayer. Ferrer’s participation in the tournament t had been in doubt after a stomach bug prevented him from playing a grasscourt warm-up event. ‘I didn’t play at all last week,’ said Ferrer, 32. ‘But I lost the match because my opponent was better. I did OK but he surprised me by playing so well. He hit a lot of winners. In important moments, he was more aggressive than me. ‘I am very sad. I lost. It’s a game. It’s not the end of the world.’ There was no slip by No 6 seed Tomas Berdych, who played with a damaged left wrist and survived going a set down to Australian Bernard Tomic. Berdych took painkillers at the end of the third set and went on to command the match, winning 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-1. ‘I couldn’t feel my wrist at all after I fell in my first match. It was a discomfort. It was in my mind — especially when I play my backhand. I asked for the tablets. I didn’t want to just take them from the beginning because they make you feel more tired and not so focused.’